Bottle conveying device



H. w. M. DoMENslNvo 2,834,453

BOTTLE CONVEYING DEVICE May 13, `195s Filed Jan. 20, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet1 l Il INVENTOR.

0.. .m s m m W. 0 0 M 0 w. cw w E .im H e M mv e. 0 HYM B A T TORNEX May13, 1958 H. w. M. DoMENslNo 2,834,453

BOTTLE coNvEYING DEVICE Filed Jan. 2o, 195e 2 sheets-sheet 2 N VEN TOR.Hendrikus M/.MDomns/'na` M oxwe/l E Sparrow.

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent O g BUTTLE CONVEYING DEVICE Hendrikus W. M.Domensino, Helmond, Netherlands Application January 20, 1956, Serial No.560,456

Claims priority, application Netherlands January 27, 1955 Claims. (Cl.198-Z11) The invention relates to a bottle conveying device such as maykbe used for various purposes, e. g. on -behalf of a bottle rinsingmachine, a device for pasteurising or sterilising bottles or a machinefor executing various operations in connection with bottles, such aslabeling, capsuling, filling and the like. The invention relates inparticular to a bottle conveying device comprising a number of wheelsmounted for rotation about a common, e. g. a horizontal axis, each ofsaid wheels being provided with a number of compartments foraccommodating radially positioned bottles, whilst intermediate saidwheels stationary dividing walls provided with passages for thev bottlesare arranged, and near said passages switches are provided in an obliquedirection with respect to the direction of transportation of thebottles, said switches being adapted for transmitting the bottles to anext wheel or for discharging the bottles and` for cooperating withcarriers defining laterally the bottle compartments (see Dutch patentspecification 22,907). The switches of this known conveyor consist ofcomb-shaped members, each running from a single dividing wall in thedirection of an opposite dividing wall. The carriers consist of pinsmounted on arms secured to the wheels. It is true that this knownconveyor operates satisfactorily when the bottles remain undamaged, butif, due to breakage of a bottle, splinters are taken along by thewheels, the chances are that the wheels are jammed by larger pieces ofglass that get stuck in the corners between the switches. The object oftheinvention is to provide a bottle conveyor device the wheels of whichwill not get stuck in case al bottle breaks.

According to the invention each switch consists of two overlapping combsdirected towards each other from opposite dividing walls, whilst eachcarrier consists of a bar or a plate bent in a zigzag line in such a waythat it can pass the comb-shaped switches. Due to this shape of theswitches and the carriers cooperating therewith even big splintersoriginating from broken I'bottles are carried to a next wheel, so thatthey cannot get stuck -between parts of the switches. With wheels havinga horizontal axis the pieces of broken bottles can, when they reach thelower side of a Wheel, fall from the wheel and be removed withoutcausing damage.

In order to improve the strength of the zigzag carriers the free endsthereof can be suitably united by means of a closed ring. Smallsplinters, which might get between the combs of the switches in spite ofthe measures taken according to'the invention, will thus be easilypounded without the carriers being bent. The connecting ring consistspreferably of a rectangular hoop-shaped bar. Such a bar forms a suicientsupport for the bottles but will easily allow splinters to pass.

With a view to preventing the bottles as much as possible from makingundesired movements it is desirable to arrange the dividing walls asclosely to each other as possible, e. g. at a distance which is a littlegreater than the maximum diameter of the bottles to be treated. In orderto ensure that the bottles can freely pass the places A, 2,834,453Patented May 13, 1958 where the switches are provided, the passages andthe corresponding switches of adjacent Wheels are preferably arrangedsomewhat in staggered relation with respect to each other, viz. asregards wheels following each other in the direction of transportation,contrary to the direction of transportation. In this way the distance inperpendicular direction between two adjacent switches can beapproximately equal to the distance in perpendicular direction betweenadjacent dividing walls.

With the conveyor according to the invention it is possible to provideeach wheel with a number of concentric rings, each ring comprisingbottle compartments, the arrangement -being such that the bottles can,with the aid of suitable members, in particular guide rings providedwith passages, be moved in radial direction towards rings of greater orsmaller diameter. Such a construction enables the bottles to cover along distance within a small space, which is efficient in connectionwith manipulations taking much time, such as the pasteurisation or thesterilisation of bottles.

The invention will be elucidated with reference to the drawing, in whichan embodiment of a bottle conveying device according to the invention isshown.

Fig. l shows a cross-section of a part of a bottle conveyor according tothe invention.

Fig. V2 shows a section on the line II-II of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 shows a section on the line III--III of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 gives a perspective representation of the embodiment.

In Fig. l the numeral 1 designates the axis of a ro tatable wheel,driven by a prime mover at a suitable rate of revolutions, e. g. 50rev./min., which wheel is provided with a hub 2 secured to the axis andhaving radial spokes 3 and an annular member 4. This annular membercarries a number of zigzag carriers 5 interconnectedat their free ends 6by a ring 7, consisting of a rectangular hoop-shaped bar, the crosssection of said bar having the largest dimension in a radial directionwith respect to the axis 1. Each wheel is enclosed in a drum havingtransverse walls 8, forming dividing walls between adjacent wheels, anda cylindrical wall 9. By means of the walls 8 and 9 each wheel isenclosed in a drum-shaped space.

Between each pair of two carriers 5 of a wheel a compartment forreceiving a bottle 10 is formed. On rotating the wheels the bottles 10move along circular paths. The dividing walls 8 are each provided withpassages 11, where switches are arranged for transmitting the bottles toa next wheel or for evacuating the bottles. Each switch -consists of twosets of overlapping parallel combs 12 and 13, in each set the combsbeing directed obliquely from opposite dividing walls 8 and arranged inthe same plane. The carriers 5 are bent in a zigzag line in such amanner that they can pass the comb-shaped switches 12, 13, see Fig. 2.Each .time a switch is passed, a bottle 10 received in the relativecompartment is transmitted to a compartment of the next wheel by thecombs 12, 13. On considering Figs. 2 and 3 it will be apparent that thepossibility that relative big pieces of glass originating from brokenbottles, in particular bottoms or.y

necks, will get stuck is excluded as the conveyor accord-A ing to theinvention does not contain dead-corners.

As Fig. 3 shows, the passages 11 and the corresponding switches 12, 13of adjacent wheels are positionedsomewhat in staggered relation withrespect to each other, i. e. as regards the wheels that follow eachother in the direction of transportation, contrary to this direction oftransportation, in such a manner that the distance a between theadjacent dividing walls is equal to the distance b between adjacentswitches 12, 13. This means that, when the conveyor contains a greatnumber of wheels adjoining each other, the passages will each time cometo lie a little higher. If a passage should come to lie in an undesiredplace, e. g. in the case of a rinsing machine in a point, where thebottles are not quite empty. it is possible to arrange a followingpassage at some angular distance, e. g. 40-50", from the preceding oneand to execute the drum of the corresponding wheel as a dry section ofthe rinsing machine.

The feeding of the bottles to the wheels and their discharging therefromcan be done in different ways. In Fig. 4 a passage opening 14 of anultimate drum of the conveyor is indicated in dotted lines. The bottlescome out of this opening by means of a switch, in vertical position andthey can, after leaving the switch, be received irnmediately by anendless conveyor belt 15.

The feeding of the bottles can be effected in a similar way, butattention must be paid that the speed of the conveyor belt be adapted tothe velocity of transport of the wheels. With these embodiments thefeeding and discharge of the bottles takes place by means of switches ofthe same kind as those used for transmitting the bottles to a followingwheel. It is, however, also possible to feed the bottles in radialdirection to the compartments or to evacuate them therefrom. In thiscase the ring 7 must be omitted or present such a form that the bottlescan be allowed to pass. In this case a zigzag ring may be used.

In order to prevent, with bottle conveyors having a horizontal axis,that bottles might drop out of the cornpartments, a stationary guidering must be applied in this case, along the lower circumference of eachdrum. In such a construction it is also possible to convey the bottlesalong a number of concentric paths in each wheel, in which case,therefore, a number of concentric compartments are arranged one behindthe other in radial direction. Said stationary guide ring can then, in asuitable point, provided with an opening for allowing the bottles topass. The parts against which the bottles are abutting when passing fromone compartment to the next one, may then suitably be coated withrubber. The path of a bottle is then such that the bottle enters theinner ring of a Wheel e. g. by means of a switch whereupon it istransmitted each time, through a port of a guide ring, into a subsequentconcentric ring having a greater diameter. Between the outer ring of thewheel and the outer ring of the next wheel a switch is providedaccording to the invention. When the outer ring of the next wheel isreached, the bottles are gradually conveyed to the subsequent concentricrings having a smaller diameter. Between the inner ring of this wheeland the inner ring of the following wheel a switch according to theinvention is again provided, and so on.

The application of this arrangement makes it possible to convey bottlesthrough a long path in a very compact space, which may be useful in viewof operations taking much time, such as the pasteurisation and thesterilisai tion of bottles.

What I claim is:

l. Bottle conveying device comprising a plurality of conveying wheelsmounted for rotation about a common axis, each of said wheels beingprovided with a number of compartments for radially positioned bottles,while intermediate said Wheels dividing walls are arranged which areprovided with passages for the bottles, near said passages switchesbeing provided which are directed obliquely with respect to thedirection of transportation of the bottles and serve for transmittingthe lbottles to a next wheel or for discharging the bottles, saidswitches cooperating with carriers defining laterally the bottlecompartments, each of said switches being composed of two sets ofoverlapping combs, directed towards each other from opposite dividingwalls and each said carrier being composed of a member bent in a zigzagline in such a manner that it can pass said switches.

2. Bottle conveying device according to claim 1, and wherein in that allthe free ends of the zigzag carriers are connected with a closed ring.

3. Bottle conveying device according to claim l, and wherein each wheelcomprises a number of concentric rings, each of which is provided withcompartments for bottles, the arrangement being such, that, by means ofguide rings provided with ports, the bottles are displaced towards ringshaving a greater or a smaller diameter.

4. Bottle conveying device according to claim 1, and wherein all of thefree ends of said zigzag carriers are connected with a closed ringcomprising a substantially rectangular hoop shaped bar.

5. Bottle conveying device according to claim l, and wherein saidpassages and the corresponding switches of adjacent wheels are disposedin substantially staggered relation with respect to each other.

6. Bottle conveying device according to claim 1, and wherein saidpassages and the corresponding switches of adjacent wheels are disposedin substantially staggered relation with respect to each other and in adirection contrary to the direction of transportation of said Wheels.

7. Bottle conveying device according to claim 5, and wherein each Wheelcomprises a number of concentric rings, each of which is provided withcompartments lfor bottles, the arrangement being such, that, by means ofguide means provided with ports, the bottles are displaced towards therings having a greater or smaller diameter.

8. Bottle conveying device according to claim 6, and wherein each wheelcomprises a number of concentric rings, each of which is provided withcompartments for bottles, the arrangement being such, that, by means ofguide rings provided with ports, the bottles are displaced towards ringshaving a greater or a smaller diameter.

9. Bottle conveying device according to claim l, and wherein saidpassages and the corresponding switches of adjacent wheels are disposedin substantially staggered relation with respect to each other, andwherein all of the Ifree ends of said zigzag carriers are connected witha closed ring.

10. Bottle conveying device comprising a plurality of conveying wheelsmounted for rotation about a common axis, each of said wheels beingprovided with a plurality of compartments for radially positionedbottles, dividing walls arranged intermediate said wheels and providedwith passages for the bottles, switches provided adjacent said passagesand directed obliquely with respect to the direction of transportationof the bottles and serving for transmitting the bottles to a next wheelor for discharging -the bottles, carriers dening laterally the bottlecornpartments and said switches cooperating therewith, each of saidswitches comprising two sets of overlapping members, directed towardseach other from opposite dividing walls, and each of said carrierscomprising a member bent in a zigzag line in such a manner that it canpass said switches.

No references cited.

